Classification of hand tools Assignment Help

Woodworking hand tools can be classified in the following categories:

• Saws
• Planes
• Wood chisels
• Boring tools
• Fixing tools
• Marking out tools
• Workshop equipment
• Site equipment
• Miscellaneous items

Saws

There are various types of saws in use, each of which is designed for a specific purpose. They can be divided into three main groups:

• Those used for ripping, e.g. cutting timber parallel with the grain.
• Those used for cross-cutting, e.g. cutting timber against the grain.
• Those used for cutting curves and shapes.

Planes

Planes can be divided into two types:

• Those used to produce a flat surface. eg. Jack plane, try plane, smoothing plane
• Those used to produce a rebate, plough groove, moulding or curve.

Wood chisels

Chisels can be divided according to their use:

• Firmer
• Mortise
• Bevelled-edge
• Paring
• Gouges

Boring tools

There are two types of drill used to bore holes:

• Ratchet brace
• Wheel brace

Fixing tools

Fixing tools cover a wide range, but most either have a driving or turning action. The main types available are:

• Hammers
• Mallets
• Screwdrivers
• Pincers
• Cold chisels
• Plugging chisels
• Nail punches
• Bradawls

Marking out tools

Marking-out tools consist of six main types:

• Rules and tapes
• Squares
• Gauges
• Marking knives
• Trammel
• Compasses

Workshop equipment

A large number of items are required in order to produce a finished piece of work. The main range of equipment is:

• Bench
• Stools
• Cramps
• Bench equipment
• Templates

Site equipment

The carpenter on site uses a range of equipment, some of which he makes himself. The main items of equipment are:

• A stool
• A mitre box
• A straight edge
• A plumb rule
• Levels
• A builder’s square

Miscellaneous items

There are a number of miscellaneous tools and items which a carpenter and joiner may have cause to use.

A rasp is a rough woodworker’s file used for roughing out shaped work.

Various metal-worker’s files are used for the maintenance of tools and adjusting metal fittings, etc.

A scraper is a rectangular piece of thin tool steel, 100 x 50mm approximately. It is used for smoothing rough grain, particularly hardwoods and also for cleaning up.

A replaceable blade knife to which various blades can be fitted enabling it to be used for cutting plasterboard, plastic laminate, building paper, roofing felt and insulation board, etc. It can also be fitted with a padsaw blade for cutting timber, or a hacksaw blade for cutting metal.